Barkar Nash (Page 956)

Trade between Thailand and Malaysia is expected to grow by at least 1.02 trillion baht by 2025, according to deputy government spokesperson Rachada Dhnadirek.

The government also expected to hold Joint Trade Committee (JTC) discussions with Malaysian authorities at the end of this year to strengthen trade cooperation between the two nations further, she said yesterday.

Malaysia is considered Thailand’s number one trading partner among Asean countries, Ms Rachada said.

There was 336 billion baht in trade between the two nations last year, mainly in cars and car parts, oil, and computers and their parts, she said.

Ms Rachada said earlier on July 14 that representatives of the Department of Trade Negotiations of the Commerce Ministry went to Malaysia to visit Datuk Azman Mohd Yusof, secretary-general of Malaysia’s Ministry of Domestic Trade and Cost of Living.

Both agencies discussed franchise businesses, fair domestic trading, and border trading recovery measures during those talks.

Plans were also drawn up to attend each other’s sale expos for wider trading partner establishments.

Ms Rachada said there are six major Thai-based food brands with franchises in Malaysia, while the same number of Malaysian franchise brands are in the kingdom.

She said that many Thai businesses are looking into opportunities in Malaysia, such as those involved in agricultural products, construction, and restaurants.

To support market and partner expansion, the government has held many activities that promote the growing partnership with Malaysia, such as a halal food fair in Malaysia under the name “I Love Thailand Fair.”

“The prime minister expressed his appreciation regarding the growth of trade between both countries,” Ms Rachada added.

Farmers urged to utilise rainwater

The Royal Irrigation Department (RID) has come up with a plan to protect the nation’s water reserves in anticipation of a long dry spell brought on by the El Niño weather phenomenon.

RID director-general Praphit Chanma said the plan, which will be carried out under the supervision of the Office of National Water Resources (ONWR), will see a public awareness campaign launched to raise awareness among the public about the importance of saving water resources.

El Nino is causing less rain to fall in the region, raising fears of a severe drought when the monsoon ends in November. Experts fear this year’s El Nino could have an impact on the region’s average rainfall well into 2025, Mr Praphit said.

According to a report by RID’s Smart Water Operation Centre (SWOC) released on July 14, if the current rainfall trend continues, then by the end of the rainy season on Nov 1, the nation’s 35 major reservoirs would only contain 44.166 billion cubic metres of water — about 62% of their total capacity.

As of this week, the four major reservoirs along the Chao Phraya River Basin, namely Bhumibol Dam in Tak, Sirikit Dam in Uttaradit, Kwai Noi Bamrung Daen Dam in Phitsanulok, and Pasak Jolasid Dam in Lop Buri, contain 14.194 billion m³ of water, or about 57% of their total capacity, he said.

More assessment is needed ahead of the end of the rainy season, so the RID has ordered all sectors to improve their overall water resource management, he said.

The RID is urging farmers to increase their utilisation of rainwater runoff to irrigate their plots ahead of the planting season to ensure there is enough water to irrigate their plots when the dry season begins.

When asked to comment on the possibility of crop failures due to the dry conditions, Mr Praphit said the RID would assist farms which are affected by a prolonged drought, especially those that grow perennial plants like durian and rubber, which are more expensive to cultivate.

The RID will ask the local administrative office and the Joint Management Committee (JMC) to pump water from the four major dams to drought-hit areas, and expedite the construction of water management projects, said Mr Praphit.

The Royal Irrigation Department (RID) has come up with a plan to protect the nation’s water reserves in anticipation of a long dry spell brought on by the El-Nino weather phenomenon.

RID director-general, Praphit Chanma, said the plan, which will be carried out under the supervision of the Office of National Water Resources (ONWR), will see a public awareness campaign launched to raise awareness among the public about the importance of saving water resources.

El-Nino is causing less rain to fall in the region, raising fears of a severe drought when the monsoon ends in November. Experts fear this year’s El-Nino could have an impact on the region’s average rainfall well into 2025, Mr Praphit said. 

According to a report by RID’s Smart Water Operation Centre (SWOC) released on July 14, if the current rainfall trend continues, then by the end of the rainy season on Nov 1, the nation’s 35 major reservoirs would only contain 44.166 billion cubic metres of water — about 62% of their total capacity.

As of this week, the four major reservoirs along the Chao Phraya river basin, namely Bhumibol Dam in Tak, Sirikit Dam in Uttaradit, Kwai Noi Bamrung Daen Dam in Phitsanulok, and Pasak Jolasid Dam in Lop Buri, contain 14.194 billion m³ of water, or about 57% of their total capacity, he said.

More assessment is needed ahead of the end of the rainy season, so the RID has ordered all sectors to improve their overall water resource management, he said.

The RID is urging farmers to increase their utilisation of rainwater runoffs to irrigate their plots ahead of the planting season, to ensure there is enough water to irrigate their plots when the dry season begins.

When asked to comment on the possibility of crop failures due to the dry conditions, Mr Praphit said the RID will assist farms which are affected by a prolonged drought, especially those that grow perennial plants like durian and rubber, which are more expensive to maintain.

The RID will ask local administrative office and the Joint Management Committee (JMC) to pump water from the four major dams to drought-hit areas, and expedite the construction of water management projects, said Mr Praphit.

The Ombudsman on Monday asked the Constitutional Court to order the parliament to postpone the next vote for prime minister, and to rule on the rejected renomination of Move Forward Party (MFP) leader Pita Limjaroenrat.

Pol Lt Col Keerop Kritteeranont, secretary-general of the Office of the Ombudsman, said 17 complaints had been filed objecting to the parliament’s resolution rejecting the renomination of Mr Pita for prime minister and declaring it a violation of their constitutional rights.

The complaints came from both members of the public and members of the parliament, he said. 

Some complainants proposed the Constitutional Court postpone the next parliamentary vote for prime minister pending a ruling by the court. The next round voting is scheduled for Thursday, he said.

The Ombudsman accordingly asked the Constitutional Court to postpone the prime ministerial vote by the House and the Senate pending a ruling, to prevent any damage that would be difficult to mend in the future, the secretary-general said.

MFP secretary-general Chaithawat Tulanon said earlier on Monday that the party had petitioned the Ombudsman to ask the Constitutional Court to rule if Mr Pita could be renominated.

MFP MP Panyarat Pusitanon (Nonthaburi) later confirmed she and 16 other MFP MPs had jointly filed one of the complaints made to the Office of the Ombudsman.

The parliament on July 19 rejected the renomination of Mr Pita for prime minister by majority vote on a procedural issue. His opponents argued that parliamentary regulation 41 bans the resubmission of a failed motion during the same session, and that included Mr Pita’s renomination.

Pro-Pita parties argued that the nomination of Mr Pita for prime minister was not a general motion and should not be subject to regulation 41.

Also on Monday, 115 law lecturers from 19 institutions expressed their opposition to the parliament’s passing of the resolution on July 19 to block the renomination of Mr Pita.

The number of Covid-19 cases continues to drop, with the fatalities either elderly, people with a chronic disease or unvaccinated, public health permanent secretary Opas Karnkawinpong said on Monday.

Speaking after chairing a meeting of the committee monitoring the Covid-19 situation, Dr Opas said  thatlast week 556 people were admitted to hospitals for treatment of Covid-19, an average of 79 per day, and 178 had a severe infection.

There were eight fatalities last week, or about one a day. All were of the “608 group” comprising people over 60, those with underlying diseases and pregnant women, or were unvaccinated or had a booster shot more than three months ago.

An analysis of the 749 Covid-19 fatalities in 2023, showed people in crowded communities had a high risk of catching the virus from other family members. He said 116 of those deaths were in Bangkok.

Dr Opas said it was still necessary to continue with the vaccination campaign. 

Move Forward MPs resolved on Monday the party would not join a coalition government with the Palang Pracharath (PPRP) or United Thai Nation (UTN) parties.

The party announcement after the meeting said that PPRP was led by Gen Prawit Wongsuwon and UTN had Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha as its prime ministerial candidate.

Both were key figures in the coup d’etat on May 22, 2014, and there was a push to prolong their hold on  power.

Voters showed through the May 14 general election that they wanted different people in government and MFP, as the election winner, was determined to form a new government and ensure they did remain in power.

Any attempt to form a government that went against the people’s decision would erode their faith in democracy, the announcement said.

A mosquito eradication campaign has been launched by the Public Health Ministry as the number of people infected with dengue fever nationwide is rising by about 5,000 per week, Disease Control Department director-general Thares Krassanairavirong said on Monday.

The outbreak is mainly in 30 districts of 18 provinces – Mae Hong Son, Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Nan, Phayao, Tak, Phetchaburi, Chon Buri, Rayong, Chanthaburi, Trat, Ubon Ratchathani, Krabi, Phuket, Songkhla, Satun, Narathiwat and Bangkok.

Since early this year nearly 40,000 cases of dengue fever have been reported, with about 40 deaths. The number is rising by about 5,000 per week, Dr Thares said. This is appoaching the level in 2019, when about 70,000 people caught the disease and 70 died over the 12 months.

On average the number of infections during the past four weeks was higher than the average over the same period for the past five years, Dr Thares said.

At a meeting on July 31 of health officials and representatives of the Provincial Administration Department, officials were assigned to launch a drive to stop the spread of dengue over the four weeks from July 21-Aug 18.

Teams from the Bureau of Epidemiology and the 38 centres for the control of insect-borne diseases have been deployed to areas hit by dengue fever, with an aim to reduce the nuber of cases to below the average of the the past five years, he said.

They are empowered to enter domestic property, temples, schools, hotels and other places to spray substances to kill mosquitoes and their larvae. They also advise residents on preventive measures.

Election victors Move Forward still hope they can renominate party leader Pita Limjaroenrat for prime minister and that senators will give him enough support.

Secretary-general Chaithawat Tulanon said on Monday that the party has petitioned to the ombudsman to ask the Constitutional Court if Mr Pita can be renominated to parliament for the position of prime minister at the head of a coalition government.

He hoped the renomination would be allowed and there would be enough support from the military appointed senators.

Mr Pita was nominated as the sole prime ministerial candidate at the joint sitting of the 500-stong House of Representatives and the 249 current senators on July 13, but he failed to win a majority vote. His eight-party alliance mustered only 324 votes, well short of the needed 375.

The parliament then voted on July 19 to reject his renomination. Opponents argued that a failed motion could not be resubmitted during the same session of parliament, and that this also applied to Mr Pita’s nomination for prime minister.

After the rejection the Move Forward Party (MFP), which won 151 House seats, agreed to allow the Pheu Thai Party, its largest ally with 141 MPs, to take the lead and nominate a candidate for prime minister. This is expected at a joint sitting on Thursday.

MFP secretary-general Chaithawat said on Monday that he now believed about 56 senators were ready to support MFP’s bid to lead the next government.

He acknowledged that several parties outside the eight-member coalition seemed willing to support Pheu Thai if it excludes MFP from the government. However, Mr Chaithawat said, if the eight-parties remain  united there could be a way out.

Leaders of the eight parties were scheduled to meet on Tuesday, he said.

“If Pheu Thai and Move Forward go head and a prime minister is still not elected, society will have many questions for the senators and the other political parties,” Mr Chaithawat said.

He rejected the possibility that parties with only a minority vote in the House could form the next government.

MFP secretary-general Chaithawat Tulanon